April 3

⚾ The Franchise - Tom Seaver

April 03, 2025

TODAY ON THE DAILY HIGHLIGHT

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April 3, 1966, Tom Seaver picks the Mets' name from a hat in a lottery, signing with the team for a reported $50,000 bonus. Tom's father had threatened a lawsuit, necessitating the special draft, after his son's contract with Atlanta was voided by Commissioner William Eckert .

At USC in 1965, Seaver went 10-2, striking out 100 batters in 100 innings. Although only one organization scouted Seaver in 1965, the Atlanta Braves wasted no time the following year, drafting him in January and signing him a month later. The Braves had been Seaver’s team of choice growing up in Fresno. Hank Aaron was his hero, and as he told interviewer Marty Appel, “I loved their uniforms, and I loved their hitters … Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Joe Adcock.”

But as much as he loved the tomahawk, Seaver never wore it for an inning of his professional career. Major-league rules prevented any organization from signing a college player while his season was in progress. Although Seaver had yet to pitch in 1966, the USC season was under way when the Braves signed their right-handed prospect. Commissioner William Eckert voided Seaver’s contract with the Braves on March 2. If other teams matched Atlanta’s offer of $51,500, they would participate in a lottery for Seaver’s services. Three teams — the Indians, the Phillies, and the Mets — stepped forward with contractual offers. The lottery was conducted on April 3 as each organization had its name thrown into a hat. Would Seaver join Sam McDowell and Sonny Siebert in Cleveland’s rotation? Would he emerge as Philadelphia’s third starter behind Jim Bunning and Chris Short? Neither. The winning paper selected belonged to the losingest team in baseball, the Mets.

He will win the 1967 National League Rookie of the Year, Seaver became the best player in New York Mets' history, and he was the lone superstar on the miracle 1969 World Series championship team and he will bring them back to the series in 1973. Seaver led the league in strikeouts five times and won three Cy Young Awards on his way to more than 300 wins and 3,600 K's. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992, by at the time the highest % of the vote of any player in history, 98.8.

About those Braves . . .

Seaver will torment Atlanta throughout his career his 54 starts vs Atlanta is the most against any franchise, winning 32 of them against just 10 loses, with a 2.28 ERA. He also completed 24 games and tossed 419 innings both are career highs vs any other franchise. The only team he beat more was the San Diego Padres (33 wins). He will also deliver the first NLCS loss to the Braves in 1969.

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Game of the Day

April 22, 1970 New York Mets vs

San Diego Padres

Seaver fans the NL record

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Did you know?

April 3, 1969, first baseman Donn Clendenon ends his retirement and reports to the Montreal Expos. Clendenon will eventually be traded twice during the season, first Clendenon refuses to report to his new team after being traded, along with Jesus Alou to the Astros; the Expos resign their reluctant first baseman. Montreal will send Jack Billingham, Skip Guinn, and $100,000 to the Astros to complete the deal that brings Rusty Staub north of the border. Clendenon then will eventually be traded to the New York Mets. Clendenon will hit 12 home runs for the Mets and help them win the World Series

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🎙️ Classic Baseball Moment of the Day! 🎙️

Don Larsen(1956), Sandy Koufax(1965), Bob Gibson (64,67 and 68), Mantle, DiMaggio, Williams (1941), Clemente 1971, Brooks 1970, Oakland Three Peat and so many others!

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Trivia:

On August 4, 1985, Seaver notched his 300th victory, beating the Yankees 4-1, at Yankee Stadium. On the same day, what other hall of famer achieved a milestone?

Hint: The answer is below

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TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

April 3, 1923 - Expelled players Happy Felsch and Swede Risberg file suit against the White Sox for back salary and $400,000 in damages. Both players, acquitted for allegedly fixing the 1919 World Series, were still banned from baseball by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, even though they were found not guilty of the wrongdoing in a much-publicized court case.

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April 3, 1938, Goose Goslin returns to the Washington Senators for his third stint with the team. Goslin, who had batted a career-low .238 in 1937, had been released by the Detroit Tigers.

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April 3, 1950 — Considered a well-guarded secret, Mel Parnell reveals he pitched all but three of his 39 games for Boston last season with a sore elbow. The 27 year-old ‘Dusty’ finished the season 25-7 with a 2.77 ERA for the second-place Red Sox.

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April 3, 1974, the Los Angeles Dodgers make one of the best trades in franchise history, acquiring minor league infielder-outfielder Pedro Guerrero from the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Bruce Ellingsen. The 17-year-old Guerrero will make his major league debut in 1978, the infielder/outfielder will compile a .309 batting average, drive in over 100 runs in 1982 & 1983 and will be named to the All-Star team five times and finish in the top 5 MVP voting 3 times during his 11 seasons with the team.

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April 3, 1987, the Chicago Cubs trade Dennis Eckersley for 3 minor league players to the Oakland A's. At one time trading "The Eck" would have been big news! However, at the time the Eck was a struggling pitcher heading towards the end of his effectiveness.

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Quote of the day:

"Blind people come to the park just to listen to him pitch." - Reggie Jackson